The present invention relates to an information processing device using a rotator to input information.
Conventionally, an apparatus has been used that employs a two-phase encoder that detects an amount of rotation of a rotator by using two photosensors and detects a direction of rotation of the rotator by comparing detection results of the photosensors. When such a two-phase encoder is employed as an input device, and input information based on an amount of rotation of the rotator is created, input information based on the amount of rotation is stored in advance. For this reason, in such an apparatus, a reference position at which detection of the amount of rotation is started is decided beforehand, and the detection of the amount of rotation is started at the reference position.
As a method for starting the detection of the amount of rotation and a direction of rotation at the reference position, a method is conceivable in which a user rotates a rotator to a reference position, then depresses a switch or the like for instructing the start of detecting the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation. This method, however, requires a complicated operation and poses a problem such as one in that an operation error is apt to happen.
In addition to the method in which a user manually adjusts a reference position, there is another method in which the reference position is automatically detected. In the method for automatically detecting the reference position, a reference position pattern is formed on a rotator in addition to a pattern for detecting the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation mentioned above, and the rotator is further provided with a sensor for detecting the reference position pattern. According to the method, the detection of the amount of rotation is begun at the moment when the sensor for detecting the reference position pattern detects the reference position pattern.
However, to detect the reference position by the conventional method described above, it is necessary to form the reference position pattern concentrically with the pattern for detecting the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation, making it difficult to reduce a size of the rotator.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing, and it is an object thereof to provide an information processing device that permits more reliable input of information by an easy operation and has a configuration that allows a size of the unit to be easily reduced.
To this end, an information processing device according to the present invention includes: a support member; a rotator rotatably provided on the support member; an optical pattern having a reflecting region for reflecting visible light and infrared light and an absorbing region for absorbing the visible light and the infrared light, which are alternately disposed along a circumference of the rotator, and a reference position region disposed in place of one of the reflecting regions and which reflects the infrared light and absorbs the visible light; an infrared light sensor provided on the support member and which applies the infrared light to the optical pattern and receives the reflected light; a visible light sensor provided on the support member and which applies the visible light to the optical pattern and receives the reflected light; reference position detecting means for detecting the reference position region based on a quantity of received light of the infrared light sensor and a quantity of received light of the visible light sensor; rotation detecting means for detecting, based on the quantity of the received light of the infrared light sensor, an amount of rotation of the rotator from a moment when the reference position region is detected by the reference position detecting means and a direction of rotation of the rotator; signal generating means for generating an information signal based on the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation of the rotator detected by the rotation detecting means; and displaying means for displaying information corresponding to the information signal generated by the signal generating means.
Furthermore, an information processing device according to another embodiment of the invention includes: a support member; a rotator rotatably provided on the support member; an optical pattern having a reflecting region for reflecting visible light and infrared light, an absorbing region for absorbing the visible light and the infrared light, which are alternately disposed along a circumference of the rotator, and a reference position region disposed in place of one of the reflecting regions and which reflects the visible light and absorbs the infrared light; an infrared light sensor provided on the support member and which applies the infrared light to the optical pattern and receives the reflected light; a visible light sensor provided on the support member and which applies the visible light to the optical pattern and receives the reflected light; reference position detecting means for detecting the reference position region based on a quantity of received light of the infrared light sensor and a quantity of received light of the visible light sensor; rotation detecting means for detecting, based on the quantity of the received light of the visible light sensor, an amount of rotation of the rotator from a moment when the reference position region is detected by the reference position detecting means, and a direction of rotation of the rotator; signal generating means for generating an information signal based on the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation of the rotator detected by the rotation detecting means; and displaying means for displaying information corresponding to the information signal generated by the signal generating means.
Furthermore, an information processing device according to yet another embodiment of the invention includes: a support member; a rotator rotatably provided on the support member; an optical pattern having a reflecting region for reflecting visible light and infrared light, an absorbing region for absorbing the visible light and the infrared light, which are alternately disposed along a circumference of the rotator, and a reference position region disposed in place of one of the absorbing regions and which reflects the infrared light and absorbs the visible light; an infrared light sensor provided on the support member and which applies the infrared light to the optical pattern and receives the reflected light; a visible light sensor provided on the support member and which applies the visible light to the optical pattern and receives the reflected light; reference position detecting means for detecting the reference position region based on a quantity of received light of the infrared light sensor and a quantity of received light of the visible light sensor; rotation detecting means for detecting, based on the quantity of received light of the visible light sensor, an amount of rotation of the rotator from a moment when the reference position region is detected by the reference position detecting means and a direction of rotation of the rotator; signal generating means for generating an information signal based on the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation of the rotator detected by the rotation detecting means; and displaying means for displaying information corresponding to the information signal generated by the signal generating means.
Furthermore, an information processing device according to still yet another embodiment of the invention includes: a support member; a rotator rotatably provided on the support member; an optical pattern having a reflecting region for reflecting visible light and infrared light, an absorbing region for absorbing the visible light and the infrared light, which are alternately disposed along a circumference of the rotator, and a reference position region disposed in place of one of the absorbing regions and which reflects the visible light and absorbs the infrared light; an infrared light sensor provided on the support member and which applies the infrared light to the optical pattern and receives the reflected light; a visible light sensor provided on the support member and which applies the visible light to the optical pattern and receives the reflected light; reference position detecting means for detecting the reference position region based on a quantity of received light of the infrared light sensor and a quantity of received light of the visible light sensor; rotation detecting means for detecting, based on a quantity of received light of the infrared light sensor, an amount of rotation of the rotator from a moment when the reference position region is detected by the reference position detecting means and a direction of rotation of the rotator; signal generating means for generating an information signal based on the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation of the rotator detected by the rotation detecting means; and displaying means for displaying information corresponding to the information signal generated by the signal generating means.
Furthermore, an information processing device according to another embodiment of the invention is the information processing device according to any one of the above embodiments, wherein the rotator is an annular rotating bezel, and the support member is formed to be a wristwatch type having a main body section and a band section that can be wrapped around a wrist of a user, the main body section having a hermetically sealed space wherein the infrared light sensor and the visible light sensor are disposed.
Furthermore, an information processing device according to yet another embodiment of the invention includes: a support member; a rotator rotatably provided on the support member; an optical pattern having a reflecting region for reflecting visible light and infrared light and an absorbing region for absorbing the visible light and the infrared light, which are alternately disposed along a circumference of the rotator, and a reference position region disposed in place of one of the reflecting regions and which reflects the infrared light and absorbs the visible light; a photosensor provided on the support member and which has a luminescent element that applies the infrared light and the visible light to the optical pattern, and a light-receiving element that receives reflected light from the optical pattern; reference position detecting means for detecting the reference position region based on a quantity of received infrared light and a quantity of received visible light in the light-receiving element of the photosensor; rotation detecting means for detecting, based on a quantity of the received infrared light in the light-receiving element of the photosensor, an amount of rotation of the rotator from a moment when the reference position region is detected by the reference position detecting means and a direction of rotation of the rotator; signal generating means for generating an information signal based on the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation of the rotator detected by the rotation detecting means; and displaying means for displaying information corresponding to the information signal generated by the signal generating means.
Furthermore, an information processing device according to still yet another embodiment of the invention includes: a support member; a rotator rotatably provided on the support member; an optical pattern having a reflecting region for reflecting visible light and infrared light and an absorbing region for absorbing the visible light and the infrared light, which are alternately disposed along a circumference of the rotator, and a reference position region disposed in place of one of the reflecting regions and which reflects the visible light and absorbs the infrared light; a photosensor provided on the support member and which has a luminescent element that applies the infrared light and the visible light to the optical pattern, and a light-receiving element that receives reflected light from the optical pattern; reference position detecting means for detecting the reference position region based on a quantity of received infrared light and a quantity of received visible light in the light-receiving element of the photosensor; rotation detecting means for detecting, based on an amount of the received visible light in the light-receiving element of the photosensor, an amount of rotation of the rotator from a moment when the reference position region is detected by the reference position detecting means and a direction of rotation of the rotator; signal generating means for generating an information signal based on the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation of the rotator detected by the rotation detecting means; and displaying means for displaying information corresponding to the information signal generated by the signal generating means.
Furthermore, an information processing device according to another embodiment of the invention includes: a support member; a rotator rotatably provided on the support member; an optical pattern having a reflecting region for reflecting visible light and infrared light and an absorbing region for absorbing the visible light and the infrared light, which are alternately disposed along a circumference of the rotator, and a reference position region disposed in place of one of the absorbing regions and which reflects the infrared light and absorbs the visible light; a photosensor provided on the support member and which has a luminescent element that applies the infrared light and the visible light to the optical pattern, and a light-receiving element that receives reflected light from the optical pattern; reference position detecting means for detecting the reference position region based on a quantity of received infrared light and a quantity of received visible light in the light-receiving element of the photosensor; rotation detecting means for detecting, based on a quantity of the received visible light in the light-receiving element of the photosensor, an amount of rotation of the rotator from a moment when the reference position region is detected by the reference position detecting means and a direction of rotation of the rotator; signal generating means for generating an information signal based on the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation of the rotator detected by the rotation detecting means; and displaying means for displaying information corresponding to the information signal generated by the signal generating means.
Furthermore, an information processing device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention includes: a support member; a rotator rotatably provided on the support member; an optical pattern having a reflecting region for reflecting visible light and infrared light and an absorbing region for absorbing the visible light and the infrared light, which are alternately disposed along a circumference of the rotator, and a reference position region disposed in place of one of the absorbing regions and which reflects the visible light and absorbs the infrared light; a photosensor provided on the support member and which has a luminescent element that applies the infrared light and the visible light to the optical pattern, and a light-receiving element that receives reflected light from the optical pattern; reference position detecting means for comparing a quantity of received infrared light and a quantity of received visible light in the light-receiving element of the photosensor to detect the reference position region based on a result of the comparison; rotation detecting means for detecting, based on a quantity of the received infrared light in the light-receiving element of the photosensor, an amount of rotation of the rotator from a moment when the reference position region is detected by the reference position detecting means and a direction of rotation of the rotator; signal generating means for generating an information signal based on the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation of the rotator detected by the rotation detecting means; and displaying means for displaying information corresponding to the information signal generated by the signal generating means.
Furthermore, an information processing device according to still yet another embodiment of the present invention is the information processing device according to any one of the last three embodiments, wherein the rotator is an annular rotating bezel, and the support member is formed to be a wristwatch type having a main body section and a band section that can be wrapped around a wrist of a user, the main body section having a hermetically sealed space wherein the photosensor is disposed.
Furthermore, an information processing device according to another embodiment of the present invention is the information processing device according to one of the previous embodiments, wherein a plurality of the reference position regions are disposed in place of any one of the reflecting regions.
Furthermore, an information processing device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is the information processing device according to one of the previous embodiments, wherein a plurality of the reference position regions are disposed in place of any one of the absorbing regions.